Thursday, January 27, 2011

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

It's pictures like these that remind me that while I'm spending all this time online, I may be neglecting those I love. Don't worry...Alice doesn't have to pull these tactics. She is well-fed...maybe too much so...LOL!﻿

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Well, I did! I surpassed 300 followers in the past couple of weeks! I've just been too busy to acknowledge it. I just wanted all you wonderful followers to know that I did notice and to thank you for following me. I am putting together a book giveaway for you. I am planning on giving away four gently used and/or new copies of older releases. My question for you is:

Monday, January 24, 2011

No...I didn't get as much reading done as I wanted, but I enjoyed myself. As part of the read-a-thon, I spent some time signing up for the reading challenges I'll be participating in this year. I sign up for all reading challenges through my challenge blog, but I will have a post up here soon detailing which ones I joined. Now here is what I read for the read-a-thon:

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan...what a great book! I will have my review up this week.The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks...read 165 pagesQuicksilver by Joy Spraycar...112 pages--this one is a little slow going so far.

So...how did you do? I hope you got some good reading in, but most of all, I hope you had fun. If you do a wrap-up post, feel free to share the link in the comments. Looking ahead, I already have the name for my Spring read-a-thon, which will be in April (no worries...I will distance it from Dewey's 24 hour). I'm calling it Spring's Serenity Read-A-Thon. I just have to come up with the dates. Stay tuned!

Now for the two winners of signed copies of The Queen's Pawn by Christy English. Drum roll please....

I have notified the winners. Please respond to me with your mailing addresses within 48 hours﻿. Thanks!

I would like send out a special thanks to Christy English for her generous donation of our prizes for the read-a-thon. And I'd also like to thank everyone who participated. I'm looking forward to the next one. Word is Unputdownables is having a 48 hour TBR the first weekend in February...can't wait!

So...haven't accomplished quite what I set out for. Had a busy week and I got in a fight with the Sleep Monster...and he won. Seriously, I have been SO tired this week. I had contemplated doing Bloggiesta this weekend. I wanted to work mainly on my library blog, A Huge Library in a Small Apartment. However, I decided against it because I want to focus on the reading for the rest of the read-a-thon. I'll be starting Quicksilver by Joy Spraycar today and I'm hoping to get started on Captivity by Deborah Noyes before it's over as well. We'll see...

I hope everyone has been enjoying the read-a-thon. I will try to stop by Twitter tonight to see if anyone is chatting about the #readathon.

Every year, on this date, I take a moment to remember and recognize one of my favorite actors, HeathLedger, who was taken from us much too soon on January 22, 2008. Today, I pause with a moment of silence in honor of him......Heath, you are missed. =O(

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

As many of you know, I'm hosting a week long read-a-thon this week. Here are some visual aids for your enjoyment.

This is what a read-a-thon is supposed to look like...

And this is what my read-a-thon has been looking like so far this week. LOL!

I'm redoubling my efforts so the rest of the read-a-thon can be less of a fail...if I can stay awake, that is!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

This is the official starting line post for the read-a-thon and my reading plans and list as well. Remember, you do not have to sign in tonight. You can sign in whenever during the week that you start reading. Just remember to sign in so you will be entered in the INTERNATIONAL giveaway for the two SIGNED copies of The Queen's Pawn by Christy English.

Here is my plan for the read-a-thon...I'm going to try to read one book a day! I know, I know! You're thinking, "this from the girl whose read-a-thon participation is usually a major fail." Well, I'm going to really go for it this time. You see, I have a stack of 8 ARCs/for review books left over from 2010 that I really must get read and reviewed. One of them I have already started so... Plus, I have to read the section of The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks for my TuesBookTalk chat on Tuesday and I need to read a little bit of The Monk by Matthew Lewis for my 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die book club on Goodreads...before I get behind! So here is my list and a nice pic of my book stack. Next, I'm off to decide what reading challenges I'm going to sign up for and sign up so I can count all my reading this week toward challenges...YEAH!

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan (to finish)

Quicksilver by Joy Spraycar

Dante's Journey by JC Marino

Captivity by Deborah Noyes

Blood and Silk by Carol McKay

Once Wicked, Always Dead by T. Marie Benchley

The Lucifer Code by Charles Brokaw

The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman

The Monk by Matthew Lewis (reading a bit for book club)

The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks (reading a bit for book chat)

So...welcome to the read-a-thon! I hope you have a wonderful week of reading and I look forward to checking in with you when I can and I'll be looking for you from time to time on Twitter as well (#readathon). Happy Reading!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

I have our official giveaway for A Winter's Respite Read-A-Thon. Historical author, Christy English, has generously donated two SIGNED copies of her excellent Eleanor of Aquitaine novel, The Queen's Pawn! And...it's international! All you have to do to be entered is to sign in at the starting line (I will have the sign in linky up on Sunday evening) and participate in the read-a-thon. Now remember, this is a flexible read-a-thon so you don't have to sign in on Monday at 12:00am...you can sign in at whatever point during the week that you start reading for the read-a-thon. Just so I know that everyone participated, I will have a linky for wrap up posts so I can track participation (no matter how much or little time was spent reading). So...have I confused anyone yet? Basically, I'm just saying sign in whenever you start. If you can't start until Wednesday, sign in then and so on and so forth. Then, at the end of the read-a-thon, link up your wrap up post. Easy peasy! I have decided not to do a mini-challenge because I want the focus to be on the reading. I will still be checking in on Twitter though (#readathon). However, if any of you participants want to do a mini-challenge, by all means go ahead. Just be sure to let me know so I can help get the word out.

Now, here is some info about The Queen's Pawn and the author, Christy English:

Princess Alais of France travels to England to marry Richard the Lionhearted, the son of King Henry II, armed only with her dowry, the valuable Vexin. When Alais arrives in the land of her father’s enemies, she is welcomed by the beautiful and powerful queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Eleanor, the richest and most influential woman in Europe, sees a kindred soul in the young French princess. Intrigued by the girl’s strength and fire, Eleanor adopts Alais as her protégée, teaching the girl what it takes to be a woman of power in a world of men. But Eleanor and Alais’ love for each other is threatened when the capricious and imperious King Henry meets the lovely young princess. Fascination with the king draws Alais deep into political intrigue, and she soon discovers what Eleanor is prepared to do to retain her position as queen. Alais, the one-time pawn, takes ruthless action of her own, as the two women become rivals both for the king’s love and the throne of England itself. (from Goodreads)

When I am not writing about Eleanor of Aquitaine, Alais of France, and the Plantagenets of the 12th Century, I am driving across the Southeast, talking about them to whoever will listen. Join me on my continuing adventures at ChristyEnglish.com. (from Goodreads)

Friday, January 14, 2011

Melissa over at Coffee, Books, and Laundry posted an insightful post about ratings and reviews. Go HEREto read the entire post.
Here's what she asked:

What does a three rating mean to you? What do ya’ll think about ratings? Is the 1 through 5 system too plain? Most importantly though, do you debate whether you should give a book a try with a rating in the 3's on Goodreads or Amazon?

This was my response in the comments and it pretty much sums up how I feel about ratings and reviews:

I learned a long time ago that reviews are subjective. I first learned this with movie reviews when most of the movies I liked were given bad reviews. I then learned it with book reviews when I started blogging. There were several people that hated The Time Traveler's Wife and I loved it. Now what if I would have read their reviews before reading it and then not read it because of them? I would have missed out on a book I truly loved. So, while I read (some) reviews, I just keep them in mind. I do not let them influence what I read. I also do not give point ratings, except on Goodreads and on my Novel Glimpses (mini-reviews). Books just have so much to offer. There is often so much good along with the bad. I find it hard to put a number on it. And I find myself second guessing the ratings I have given on Goodreads a lot. A ratings system is just not for me.

In answer to your question, a 3 rating would not dissuade me from reading a book. Even a bad review doesn't do that. If I planned on reading the book and I read a bad review of it, I still read the book anyway!

So what is your opinion on this subject? Feel free to share in the comments.

I also wanted to take a moment to introduce you to a new book blog that I'm pretty excited about. My friend, Heather, who I met through Twitter and TuesBookTalk, has created her very own book blog. Heather has great taste in reading and discussing books with her is very interesting and thought provoking. So stop over at Between the Covers... and say hello...and be sure to tell her I sent you so she knows what a great friend I am...LOL! ;o) Welcome to the wonderful world of book blogging, Heather!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

This is what four unscheduled days off for the kids (inclement weather, bad roads) starts to look and sound like. Yes, I've wanted to give them a piece of my mind several times over and yes, I really can't afford to lose anymore of what mind I have...LOL!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Mailbox Monday's monthly blog tour is being hosted this month by Rose City Reader. To join in, click on the highlighted title to visit and sign up.

This is a rather large mailbox post tonight and you'll probably be wondering, "how did she afford to buy all those books?" Well, I'm listing what I bought first and let me just tell you...they all came from my monthly library sale and the Goodwill half price sale. All these books cost me less than $30 and they are mostly hardcover editions! I'm nothing if I'm not frugal (even though I need more books like I need a hole in my head)!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Today, my younger son, Reece, is turning 8! My how time flies...it seems only yesterday I was holding him in my arms. He still climbs up in my lap and snuggles. I'll never get tired of that! I love you, son. Happy Birthday and stay sweet!

From the award-winning translators of Anna Karenina and The Brothers Karamazov comes this magnificent new translation of Tolstoy's masterwork.
War and Peace broadly focuses on Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 and follows three of the most well-known characters in literature...

A century before A GAME OF THRONES, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros…
A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R.R. Martin’s ongoing masterwork, A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE.

TBR PILE (the tip of the iceberg)

If books could have more, give more, be more, show more, they would still need readers who bring to them sound and smell and light and all the rest that can’t be in books.The book needs you.~Gary Paulsen

******

******

******

Favorite Authors

******

Which Jane Austen heroine are you?

Which literary heroine are you?

You are Josephine March from "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. Opinionated and outspoken, your bold nature can sometimes get you into trouble. You must constantly make a conscious decision to seem gentler to people when you first meet them -- those who do not know you well can sometimes find your passion abrasive or overly aggressive. The happiness of others is your greatest source for happiness of your own -- you want nothing more than to provide for your family and friends, to make them happy.

Which Downton Abbey Character Am I?

You are Lady Sybil Crawley. The youngest daughter of Lord Grantham, you’re compassionate, strong, and really concerned about social justice. You’d also like to be able to vote. The bravest and most idealistic member of your family, you’re the most likely to end up at a political rally, try and help a servant to a better job, or scandalize your sisters by wearing pants to a party.

Which historical person are you most like?

You are Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni people and fiery leader of an uprising against the Romans in England. You don’t turn away from a fight. In fact, you go looking for one if someone tries to tell you what to do. You’re a natural leader, a vicious opponent, and you look great swinging a sword.

Who would I be in 1400 AD?

Your result for The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test...

The Knight

You scored 34% Cardinal, 44% Monk, 38% Lady, and 57% Knight!

You are the hero. Brave and bold. You are strong and utterly selfless. You are also a pawn to your superiors and will be lucky if you live very long. If you survive the Holy wars you are thrust into you will be praised for your valor and opportunities both romantic and financial will become available to you.

Which classic dame am I?

Your result for The Classic Dames Test...

Katharine Hepburn

You scored 21% grit, 24% wit, 52% flair, and 19% class!

You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet. You can pick them up or leave them there as you see fit. You share the screen with the likes of Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant, thinking men who like strong women.

The sorting hat says...

SOME OF THE BOOKS I HAVE READ

True Book Addict claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respective owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it to appear on this site, please contact me via the contact form in the menu above with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.

I do not accept payment in exchange for a review or for the mention of a book unless otherwise noted. My thoughts and opinions expressed in reviews on this site are in no way influenced by receipt of free review copies from authors, publishers, publicists, or book tour companies.